Passing Grades
by StarWarrior72
Summary: Han never ran across Chewbacca, and, as such has trained in the Empire. Today is his first day working on the Death Star, but there is more in store for him than he ever expected.
1. Chapter 1

Han walked into the prison on his first day, looking around, trying to disguise his wonder. Fresh out of the Academy and assigned to work on the Death Star! He had expected a low paying job on a remote planet, and this was something else entirely. Sure, he did have the lowest rank within the prison, but still. The Death Star!

He marched over to the commanding officer. The other man looked at him disdainfully and waved a hand in the general direction of the row of cells. "Teach yourself how to torture them."

Han nodded curtly and started in the direction of the cells, aware of the torture droid that followed him obediently. He kept walking until he reached the highest security cells. He would do his worst to some of these rebels and hopefully tomorrow's commander would be more informative and would teach him how hard he was supposed to be on them.

He walked past rows of empty cells. It was a new prison, after all, Han thought, of course most of the cells would be empty.

Then, suddenly, he came across a cell with traditional bars instead of the modern solid doors the rest of the cells had. A rebel lay inside, facing away from the doors and curled in a ball. He tried to unlock the door, but his keycard didn't have access.

The person in the cell heard the sound and rolled over, sitting up and crossing his legs. Han met a child's innocent, blue eyes.

He turned, calling to the officer, "A kid managed to get into one of the cells! He's looked himself in, he can't get out."

Turning back to apologise to the kid about the mistake, Han was surprised to see a shaking, crying child.

"You shouldn't have done that." The boy informed him as the commander walked up behind Han.

Then, before Han could do anything, the child received a stun stick to the face. He cried out then stifled the sound with his hands.

Han turned to the commander in surprise.

"Don't give commands to us." He snarled at the boy.

Han looked back at the child's crumpled face.

He turned back to the commander, wanting to ask why the child had deserved that. The officer saved him the time.

"I see you've met Luke Skywalker. You'll learn not to listen to him quickly enough. He tells most of our younger officers he doesn't belong here. As you get to know him, you'll understand why we changed out his door. He's a miserable, worthless liar. It's good to see him get what he deserves."

"I didn't tell him any-" The boy sobbed.

It earned him another stab to the face, "Silence!"

Han nodded, less curtly, even unsteadily. The officer walked away, back to where he'd come from.

Han looked back at the child in the cell. The boy was trying to tend to two burns where the stunstick had hit him. Han knelt down in front of the cell looking at the boy in concern.

At last, Luke Skywalker looked up at Han. "The droid can get through the bars," he told the other man. "They made sure of that. You don't need to be able to get into my cell to beat me."

"I don't wanna hurt you, Kid." Han said, feeling the colloquialism of his home planet showing through as he talked to the child.

The boy shook his head, "You should. I'm here because I'm your enemy."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm here because I tried to save Princess Leia." The boy said, starting to cry slightly.

"You did?" Han had been told it was highly dangerous rebels who had done that. The child before him couldn't have looked less threatening.

Luke nodded.

Han looked at the boy again, trying to convince himself to give the boy due hatred. But he couldn't bring himself to hate him. "You're lying to me. You're not even wearing a rebel uniform. Who framed you? What did they do to you to force you to lie like this?"

The boy folded himself into a ball, looking at Han over his knees. "No-one framed me. Ben told me I had to. He said the Empire had killed my father. So I did as I was told."

"This Ben character sounds pretty sketchy, Kid."

Luke sniffed and shook his head. "No. He is-" the boy's voice broke, "Was a Jedi."

"Tell the commander what you've told me. He'll see your side of this. I can take you home, wherever your home is, at the end of my shift."

The boy's face crumpled still further. "I haven't got a home to go to. The Empire destroyed it and killed my aunt and uncle. He wouldn't believe me anyway. You think I haven't tried?"

Han felt a terrible constriction on his chest. He had lost his home too, after all. "Listen, Kid. This is all wrong. You don't deserve to be here."

Luke shook his head, "I don't have anywhere to go. You should probably go before you get yourself in trouble."

"Get in trouble for talking to you? I can just say I'm trying to get information out of you."

Suddenly, Luke's face lit up slightly, "If they ask what you learned, can you tell them that I don't know anything?"

"I dunno, Kid. What _do_ you know?"

"Just that. I left Tatooine and was captured trying to save Leia."

Han nodded. "Sure. Kid, this is gonna sound morbid, but what makes you go on living?"

Luke closed his eyes, and his answer was soft. "My father."

"Your father? I thought you said that you didn't have a home to go to."

The boy gave a gasp as though he was trying not to cry, and his eyes opened wide. "I don't."

"But, your father?" Han asked, confused.

"He's the one keeping me here. Vader." The boy managed before he started to cry. "And he knows. He's the one who told me who we are to one another."

Han reached through the bars and put one hand on the boy's head. "Why'd he do that to you?"

Luke started to cry harder. "I have no idea!"

"Shh, Kid. It's going to be okay. Everything's gonna be okay."

But Luke was crying inconsolably. Han pulled the boy against himself, rocking the child slowly.

"They're gonna kill me," the boy cried.

"I'll see what I can do."

Luke didn't seem to have heard him, "He doesn't even care! I just want to be cared for. I get a last wish, at least. I'll ask to see him again."

"What did he do when he told you who you were?"

"He just came to my cell and-and told me. And then he asked me to join him, and I said I couldn't do that. Then he left me to be tortured."

"Maybe you should join him, then."

"No! I couldn't do that. Not after everyone he's killed. He killed Leia, and Ben and my aunt and uncle, and so many people I don't know."

"Huh? He didn't kill Leia. She escaped with a group of rebels. One of them was captured, I thought it had to be you."

"Really?" Luke asked hopefully.

"Yeah," Han said, hating the boy's urgency to have something to cling to.

"I-they'll be making rounds of the cells again soon. If they find you caring for me, they'll jail you too. Will you come talk to me tomorrow?"

"Sure thing, Kid." Han promised, standing. He went on with his business, but his confidence in the Empire was seriously shaken by the tortured child.


	2. Chapter 2

Han _hated _entering the prison to run towards a child's screams. But he knew he would hate it even more to enter and not respond. So he moved towards his crying friend.

When he reached the cell, Luke was on his hands and knees, vomiting while the officer stood over him and laughed.

Han had sorted out that he would be allowed to keep Luke safe as long as he never tried to free the child. So, when he noticed Luke's protector, the man gave the child a final kick and walked away.

Han moved in to comfort the child, carefully lifting the boy out of his vomit. In his arms, Luke cried softly, pressing close against Han.

"Shh, Kid. Shh." Han soothed gently.

Luke didn't answer. He just lay against Han's chest and continued to cry. Han started to rock gently, trying to push away the child's pain and fear. Immediately the boy twisted away and vomited again. Han felt a twinge as he saw the boy's vomit was comprised almost completely of blood. Previous puddles had contents that looked like they had once been food, but the child's stomach was still in spasms, trying to force out something the boy hadn't eaten.

"Kid?" Han asked in concern.

Luke merely vomited again, needing to get everything out. Han sat beside him, rubbing his back until his body seemed to finally decide that he had vomited up enough of his insides.

Han moved the weak child away from the vomit. Cleaning Luke's cell was also against the rules.

Luke lay close against Han, whimpering.

"What made you throw up?" Han asked.

Luke took a couple of gasps of air, and they seemed to hurt him. But he seemed calmed as well, and when Han addressed him again he looked up and answered. "He did."

"I know. What did he do to make you vomit? Is that food in some of it?"

Luke gave a sniff, "Yeah. He fed me, and I thought he'd changed his mind about me, but then he just kept telling me to eat more, and it made me throw up. That was the first time. Then he just kept doing it. It hurt. I- I-" Luke gave another helpless gasp and buried his face against Han's chest. "I can't believe this is happening. This can't be real! And every time I wake up, I'm scared and hurt and disappointed to still be here! I keep thinking I'll wake up back on the farm. I wanna go home."

Han nodded gently, "I know you do."

"I-you're-I mean, you're the closest thing I have to a friend, and I don't even know your name!"

Han began to rock the child again, "I'm your friend, Luke. My name is Han."

Luke sniffed again and nodded, "Thank you."

Han didn't know how to respond. All he could think to do was continue to rock the kid, but it didn't feel like enough.

"Would you like something to eat?" he offered at last, taking a pack of fruit off his belt.

"I don't wanna throw up again," Luke answered.

"I'm not going to make you throw up. I promise. As long as you don't eat too much, it'll make you feel better."

"They'll make me throw it up again as soon as you leave. It's no use." Luke told the floor.

"Sure there's use. Even if it'll only make you feel better a bit, it's better than nothing."

"He won't even look at me." Luke mumbled.

"What's that?"

"He won't even look at me, Han."

"What do you mean?"

"My father. He won't even look at me. When he comes, I always reach for him. But as soon as he notices, he just turns away!"

"Shh, Kid. I know it's hard for you."

Luke looked up at Han with tear-filled eyes. "He means the galaxy to me."

Never having known, or cared about, his own parents, Han didn't know how to respond. So he just lifted the boy closer to himself.

"He's always been the one I looked up to. Always the one I cried for. It's never been my mother I cry for. I feel terrible now, but, Han, what if she doesn't care about me either? What if all either one of them ever wanted was to get rid of me? What if I'm just a mistake?"

"Kid, if you're 'just' a mistake, you're the best mistake your parents ever made. I'll bet you anything."

Luke closed his eyes and buried his face against Han again.

Han took a few berries out of his pouch and pressed one against the child's lips. Luke hesitantly took it, chewing it tentatively. Han felt a terrible crushing sensation on his heart as the boy took the remaining berries. The boy hesitantly ate them as Han sat beside him, rubbing his shoulders and back.

"Maybe you'll be able to digest those a bit before I leave. It'll make you a bit stronger for a while."

Luke sniffed again, nodding. "Thank you."

"No problem. If it's making you feel better, it's more than worth it."

Luke nodded slightly.

"Listen, Kid. If there's anything, anything at all I can do to make this easier for you, I will. How long can the sentence you to, anyway?"

"Death," Luke said so quietly, Han almost missed it.

"What?"

"I've been sentenced to death, Han."

"Death?" Han asked unsteadily.

"They're gonna keep me here until I die."

"No, they can't do that," Han said, incensed, "They can't do that to you. How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

Han sighed in relief, "There you go. They can't sentence you to death until you're at least eighteen."

Tears were filling Luke's eyes again. "Unless you're a rebel. Read the fine print, Han. They can kill me."

"But-but," Han stuttered, "You're still just a kid. You've got so much left to see and learn."

"And it's going to stay that way forever." Luke said.

"You haven't even finished your education!"

"As far as they're concerned, I have."

"There must be something against this. This cannot be legal!"

Luke looked up into Han's eyes, tears starting to flow from his own. "Please, Han. This is hard enough for me already. Don't remind me. Don't think about it. Just promise me you won't stop coming. Promise me you'll keep coming to give me something to live for!"

Han gathered the kid up again, rocking the child, stunned. A kid's life. Like it wasn't bad enough the child was jailed and tortured. Luke was never going to get a chance at life. The Empire would snuff him before he ever got the chance to be-to do- anything!

"I want my father, Han."

"Yeah, I know."

"I just want him to care for me."

"I know."


	3. Chapter 3

"Han!"

Han opened his eyes. He must have been dreaming. That sounded like the kid. He closed his eyes, telling himself not to be stupid. But again, the kid's voice rang through Han's quarters.

"Han? Are you here?"

Han pressed his eyes closed, wanting to be completely engulfed in the dream so he could believe that the kid was safe. This half-dream was just torture.

And for a moment, Han thought he must have been drifting deeper into the dream, because he could have sworn he heard Vader's breathing. Then, suddenly, both the sounds of the kid, and Vader were very immediate, and certainly not a dream.

"Han? Why aren't you answering me?"

Han sat bolt upright. Luke and Vader stood over his bed staring at him. He stared right back. Finally he managed to speak, "What's happened?"

But the kid brushed away the question by diving into his arms. Han was busy watching Vader. What was going on? Was this some kind of trap to make him accidentally admit to being a rebel sympathizer?

Something about the willingness the kid clung to him with made him think not. Nothing the Empire could do to him would convince him to betray a friend. So, either he was safe, or Luke was being deceived as well.

He hugged the child back, and felt Luke start to cry.

"Shh, Kid. Everything's going to be okay."

Luke sat back and wiped his eyes dry. "Yeah, I know. I just can't believe how fast everything's happening."

Han looked up at Vader again, "That makes two of us."

Luke smiled at him. "You've been so great to me, Han. Thanks so much. If you hadn't come to see me every day, I wouldn't have survived long enough for Father to change his mind about me."

At that, Vader interjected. "Child, I didn't have to change my mind about you. I only had to get the courage I needed to kill the Emperor." As he spoke, he stepped forward and put one hand on his son's head. Luke leaned against him, smiling widely at Han.

Han just sat and stared. He couldn't process this turn of events. Finally, Vader decided to enlighten him.

"The galaxy will be in turmoil for a while. I felt that I should keep you safe for that time, as you saved my son."

"That'd be great." Han answered, almost without thinking.

"Pack your things," Vader instructed.

Han nodded, and got out of bed. The kid stood up and made as if to follow him, but he tottered.

"Lie down, Kid. You're not strong enough to be walking yet."

"But-!" Luke started.

Vader cut him off before he could even finish his protest. "Your friend is right. Lie down."

Luke looked at his father, frustration showing on his face. Vader acted as though he hadn't noticed and pushed the boy onto Han's bed. Luke didn't put up much of a fight, so Han decided that he'd been right in telling him to sleep.

Vader sat next to his boy, and Han grabbed his pack and prepared for leaving. There wasn't much he wanted to take. Material possessions had never meant much to him. It wasn't as if there had been anyone to give them to him, which would have given them sentimental value.

When he re-entered the room, Vader held Luke's upper body on his lap as the kid slept. He looked up at Han, as though daring him to comment. Han just shrugged at him.

Vader stood, gathering Luke in his arms like a baby. Han trailed the Sith lord unsurely._ What the hell is happening? Vader turned against the Emperor, killed him and saved Luke? Things like that don't just happen, do they?_

"My name is Anakin," Vader said.

"Right, Anakin." Han answered before realizing what Vader had just done. "Did you just read my mind?"

Vader rumbled in what Han could only assume was laughter, "Yes."

Han just blinked at Vader's back, unsure how to respond.

"Thank you for giving Luke hope."

Again, Han didn't know how to answer. Caring for Luke had felt so natural, the only right thing to do.

"The Empire needs more men like you."

"Ah-thanks."

"Is there anyone you have to say goodbye to?"

"Not really. Not if I'll be near Luke."

"Good. I want to do this as privately as possible." Vader told him, starting up a ramp into a shuttle. He gestured to the co-pilot's seat and pressed Luke into Han's arms. The kid mumbled something and reached up in his sleep, wanting to stay close to his father.

"I'm not going far, child. Relax." Vader told his son gently.

Luke stopped moving, his arms resting on his chest again. Han gave the boy a quick squeeze. Luke yawned and rested his head against his friend.

As Vader took off, Han noted with admiration that the stories of his flying abilities had not exaggerated his skills at all. If anything, they had understated them. Vader flew so naturally that Han was half convinced that the ship knew what he wanted, and did it without his helping, his hands moving across the boards only some kind of show. He was carefully avoiding all sensor ranges from vessels, which, Han thought, meant a great deal of study to know them all.

In Han's arms, Luke moved again. To Han's amazement, Vader took one hand off the controls and rested it on his son's head until the boy calmed again, without affecting his flying _at all_.

"How did you do that?" he asked as Vader returned both hands to piloting.

"The Force allows me to do unusual things." Vader answered. As he spoke, Han's cuff unbuttoned itself.

Han grinned, re-buttoning it. "What's the Force, exactly?"

Vader paused, and Han imagined he was frowning behind his mask.

"It's hard to explain. The basic teaching is that it is some kind of aura of the galaxy. All living things contribute to it, and can be sensed in it, with several exceptions. On some small level, all beings can feel it. Some are born with a natural ability for using it. They are called Force sensitive. As with all beings, they seek similar people out, and we get the various Force using orders from that. The two best known, of course, are the Jedi and the Sith, but there are also the Nightsisters and a number of other smaller organizations. Those who train in using the Force can use it to sense the future, to move objects without touching them, to improve their reflexes, and many other things."

Han blinked out of the viewport, slightly overloaded, "Oh."

In his arms, Luke shuffled again, finally waking up. He sat up, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Then he blinked around the cockpit, meeting Han's eyes for a moment, before turning to see his father. He stood up, moving to the seat behind Vader.

"Hi, what've I missed?"

"We're going home now, Luke." Vader told his son.

"Awesome!" Luke said, "I've never been home yet, Han. I wanted to come get you right away."

"Thanks."

"Isn't this great?" Luke asked eagerly, "Man, I never thought this'd happen!"

Han undid his crash webbing, having decided that it wasn't necessary with such a good pilot. He turned to face his friend, "Me neither."

"What're we going to do when we get home, Father?"

"I don't know what your friend will be doing. You will be having a shower, if you want to, and going to bed. I will be going back out to try to avert the disaster the galaxy is headed towards."

Luke frowned, probably at the idea of his father leaving again, but he nodded. "Okay."

"Would you take over piloting for a few minutes?" Vader asked Han.

"Sure, but there's not much to do, what with being in hyperspace."

Vader nodded and moved out of the pilot's chair. Han took it and started focusing his own formidable piloting skills. Behind him, he heard Vader taking care of Luke. He was startled when the navicomputer told him to exit hyperspace, having expected Vader to have taken over piloting again. He heard the click of crash webbing and attached his own before exiting. He followed Vader's instructions to land the ship on the platform of the only building visible.

When he turned around, Vader was still kneeling beside Luke, who was strapped to his seat and fast asleep.

"Asleep again? I thought he'd never calm down enough for that."

Luke shuffled in his sleep, and Vader put one hand on the boy's forehead. Immediately, Luke stopped moving. "I may have helped."

"Unusual things," Han quoted.

"Precisely. I think I'll be finding that one more useful than the rest for a while. I think he's like me in the area of having no interest in staying still."

Han smiled as Vader picked Luke up. Han trailed him as he entered the building, leading him to a bedroom, where he rested Luke on the blanket, carefully tucking him in.

"The kitchen is down the hall, if you get hungry. Please try to keep Luke in bed. If you can't, though, I understand."

"Yes, Sir." Han nodded.

He was vaguely aware of Vader leaving again. "I guess everything's going to be all right now, Luke."


End file.
